The present invention relates to the use of materials obtained, for example, by hydrolysis and condensation of metal alkoxides, for the cosmetic treatment of a keratin material, such as the nails.
It is well known that the nails often have structural and consistency defects, which may have a variety of causes, in particular associated with the individual""s internal functioning, living conditions, eating habits, age and states of fatigue and overwork. These defects may also appear due to the effect of eroding actions, for example, following prolonged or repeated exposure to detergents, solvents, chemical products and in particular household chemical products, hot or cold, humid or dry atmospheres, or exposure to UV radiation. These structural and consistency defects have the effect of making the surface of the nails unattractive, which may be a source of inconvenience and of great displeasure.
Various types of compositions essentially based on the use of either agents for crosslinking proteins intended to strengthen the keratin network, such as, for example, formaldehyde, or of agents with an essentially nutrient function such as, for example, cystine, cholesterol, S-carboxymethylcysteine or collagen extracts, have already been proposed for the purpose of strengthening the nails. However, using such crosslinking agents or such agents with a nutrient function may not give good results and, what is more, may have certain drawbacks. For example, formaldehyde-based products may cause certain allergic reactions. It has also been proposed to use colloidal silicic acid as an agent for reinforcing keratin material, for example, the nails, but also the hair and the eyelashes. These compositions improve the quality of the nails, that is to say they make them less fragile, less brittle or less soft. However, most of the existing compositions may need to be applied several times before an effect may be observed. In addition, depending on the nature of the reinforcing agent used, it may be necessary to avoid contact with water, since the effect may not withstand prolonged soaking of the nails. This may be due to the fact that the reinforcing agents according to the prior art act only at the surface of the keratin materials.
There is still thus a need to have available a cosmetic composition which, by simple application to a keratin material such as the nails, eyelashes, eyebrows, body hairs or head hair, makes it possible to accomplish at least one of the following: improve the quality of these materials very quickly, protect the materials, strengthen the materials, rapidly and durably improve the rigidity of the materials, and rapidly and durably improve the cohesion of the materials.
In accordance with the invention, one aim of the present invention is to propose such a composition, which makes it possible to accomplish at least one of the following: improve the quality of a keratin material very quickly, protect the material, strengthen the material, rapidly and durably improve the rigidity of the material, and rapidly and durably improve the cohesion of the material.
One subject of the present invention is thus the use of a composition comprising at least one organometallic compound to at least one of protect and strengthen a keratin material. The at least one organometallic compound may, for example, be obtained by at least one of partial and total hydrolysis, and partial and total condensation, of at least one metallic precursor chosen from those described below.
Another subject of the invention is a process for treating a keratin material, such as to protect and/or strengthen the keratin material, which comprises applying to the keratin material a composition comprising at least one organometallic compound. The at least one organometallic compound may, for example, be obtained by at least one of partial and total hydrolysis, and partial and total condensation, of at least one metallic precursor as defined below.
When a composition according to the invention is applied to the nails, it may make it possible to reduce the brittleness of the nails, especially of weakened nails, for example, of striated, cracked, soft or supple nails and/or nails which have a tendency to split.
At least one additional object and advantage of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
It has been found that the application to the surface of the nail of at least one embodiment of the composition of the invention increases at least one of the rigidity and cohesion of the nail, and may do so from the first application; moreover, this effect may persist over time and may be water-remanent. In at least one embodiment, the use of a composition produce harder and stronger, and thus less brittle nails. This strengthening of nail keratin also gives nails which no longer split and/or crack.
When a composition according to the invention is intended to be applied to the hair, it may allow the hair, such as soft hair, to be rigidified and thus for the styling of this hair to be improved.
The use of at least one embodiment of the invention thus finds an application for treating fragile, brittle or soft nails, but also for normal nails, or for the eyelashes, the eyebrows and the hair.
Without being bound by the present explanation, it is thought that, in at least one embodiment of the invention, this is due to the formation, within the keratin material, of a three-dimensional network generated by the organometallic compound, which is reflected by an increase in the material""s hardness or rigidity.
Moreover, in certain embodiments of the invention, a composition according to the present invention may give the keratin material at least one other property, such as an optical effect, a surface effect, for example, a surface smoothness or a change in the wettability of the surface.
A composition which is used in the context of the present invention thus comprises, for example, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, at least one organometallic compound which may, for example, be obtained by at least one of partial and total hydrolysis and partial and total condensation of at least one metallic precursor chosen from:
(1) at least one metal alkoxide chosen from formulae (Ia), (Ib), (Ic), and (Id):
Mxe2x80x94(OR1)nxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Ia)
Rxe2x80x94Mxe2x80x94(OR1)n-1xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Ib)
(R1O)n-1xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x94Rxe2x80x3xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x2xe2x80x94(OR1)n-1xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Ic)
RRxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x2(OR1)n-2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(Id)
xe2x80x83in which:
M and Mxe2x80x2, which may be identical or different, denote a metal atom chosen from the transition metals of groups Ib to VIIb* of the Periodic Table, group VIII* of the Periodic Table, the lanthanide group of the Periodic Table, aluminum, silicon, boron, tin, magnesium, alkali metals and alkaline-earth metals;
n denotes the valency of the metal;
R1, which may be identical or different, is chosen from linear and branched, saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon-based radicals containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms, for example, such as from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, optionally interrupted by and/or substituted with 1-20 hetero atoms chosen from O, N, S and P;
R and Rxe2x80x2, which may be identical or different, are chosen from hydrogen and linear, branched, and cyclic, saturated and unsaturated, C1-30 hydrocarbon-based radicals, such as C2-20, hydrocarbon-based radicals, optionally substituted and/or interrupted with 1-20 hetero atoms chosen from O, N, S and P; and/or optionally substituted with a group chosen from the list below; or
R and/or Rxe2x80x2, which may be identical or different, are chosen from and/or substituted by cosmetically active groups as defined below;
Rxe2x80x3 is chosen from xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94NR2xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94 and linear, cyclic and branched, saturated and unsaturated, C1-C30 divalent hydrocarbon-based radicals, such as C2-C20 hydrocarbon-based radicals, optionally substituted with a group chosen from the list below; and/or optionally interrupted and/or substituted with 1-20 hetero atoms chosen from O, N, P and/or S, also being chosen from and/or substituted by cosmetically active groups as defined below, wherein R2 is chosen from hydrogen, linear, cyclic and branched, saturated and unsaturated C1-30 hydrocarbon-based radicals, such as C2-20 hydrocarbon-based radicals;
(2) the at least one complex chosen from at least one of the formulae (IIa), (IIb), (IIc) and (IId) below:
Mxe2x80x94(OR1)n-x(X)xxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IIa)
Rxe2x80x94M (OR1)n-1-x(X)xxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IIb)
(X)x(R1O)n-1-xMxe2x80x94Rxe2x80x3xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x2xe2x80x94(OR1)n-1-x(X)xxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IIc)
RRxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x94(OR1)n-x-2(X)xxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IId)
xe2x80x83in which:
M, Mxe2x80x2, n, R, Rxe2x80x2, Rxe2x80x3 and R1 have the same meaning as above;
X, which may be identical or different, is chosen from a ligand comprising an atom chosen from nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur and oxygen, said ligand optionally bearing a cosmetically active group as defined below;
x is the number of atoms which may link to the central metal atom;
(3) at least one metal halide chosen from formulae (IIIa), (IIIb), (IIIc) and (IIId) below:
Mxe2x80x94(Z)nxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IIIa)
Rxe2x80x94Mxe2x80x94(Z)n-1xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IIIb)
(Z)n-1xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x94Rxe2x80x3xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x2xe2x80x94(Z)n-1xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IIIc)
RRxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x94(Z)n-2xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IIId)
xe2x80x83in which:
M, Mxe2x80x2, n, R, Rxe2x80x2 and Rxe2x80x3 have the same meaning as above;
Z, which may be identical or different, is chosen from a halogen atom such as chlorine, iodine, bromine or fluorine; and
(4) at least one complex chosen from formulae (IVa), (IVb), (IVc) and (IVd) below:
Mxe2x80x94(Z)n-x(X)xxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IVa)
Rxe2x80x94M(Z)n-1-x(X)xxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IVb)
(X)x(Z)n-1-xMxe2x80x94Rxe2x80x3xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x2xe2x80x94(Z)n-1-x(X)xxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IVc)
RRxe2x80x2xe2x80x94Mxe2x80x94(Z)n-x-2(X)xxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(IVd)
xe2x80x83in which:
M, Mxe2x80x2, n, R, Rxe2x80x2, Rxe2x80x3, X, x and Z have the same meaning as above.
According to the present invention, the term xe2x80x9cligandxe2x80x9d means a group comprising at least one atom which can link to the central metal atom.
Among the substituents which may be borne by R, Rxe2x80x2 and/or Rxe2x80x3, mention may be made of halogen atoms (chlorine, bromine, iodine and/or fluorine) and the following groups: xe2x80x94NR2, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR2, xe2x80x94SR, xe2x80x94Rxe2x80x94Sxe2x80x94R, xe2x80x94CO2R, xe2x80x94COR, xe2x80x94OH, xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90Cxe2x95x90O, xe2x80x94NRxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NR 2, xe2x80x94N+R3, xe2x80x94S+xe2x95x90C (NR2)2; sulphonate (xe2x80x94SO3R); 
in which the various radicals R, which may be identical or different, are chosen from hydrogen and linear, branched and cyclic, saturated and unsaturated, C1-30 hydrocarbon-based radicals, such as C2-20 hydrocarbon-based radicals.
Among the cosmetically active groups which may be represented and/or borne by R, Rxe2x80x2, and Rxe2x80x3 and borne by X, mention may be made of a colorant group; a photochromic group; a group for screening out UV-A and/or UV-B radiation; a group for promoting adhesion to keratin materials, such as an amide, urethane, urea, hydroxyl, carboxyl, amino acid or polypeptide group; a group which facilitates make-up removal; a bacterial or bacteriostatic group; a chelating group, for example, one which can complex multivalent cations; a hydroxy acid; a group for preventing hair loss; an antioxidant group; a free-radical-scavenging group; and a vitamin-bearing group.
For example, the at least one metallic precursor may be chosen from at least one compound chosen from formulae (Ia), (Ib), (Ic), (Id) and (IIa), and, as a further example, from formulae (Ia), (Ib) and (IIa).
The metal atom M, for example, may be chosen from titanium, zirconium, aluminium, iron, tin and silicon and as a further example, from titanium and silicon.
For example, R1 may be chosen from linear and branched, saturated hydrocarbon-based radicals containing 1 to 30 carbon atoms, such as, in a further example, from 1 to 6 carbon atoms. As even a further example, R1 may be chosen from methyl, ethyl, propyl, n-butyl, isobutyl and t-butyl radicals.
For example, R and Rxe2x80x2, which may be identical or different, may be chosen from linear or branched, saturated C1-20 hydrocarbon-based radicals, such as C1-6 hydrocarbon-based radicals; or, as a further example, from linear or branched, saturated C1-20 hydrocarbon-based radicals, such as C1-6 hydrocarbon-based radicals, substituted with at least one substituent chosen from a halogen atom (such as perfluorinated), xe2x80x94NH2, xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NH2, xe2x80x94SH, xe2x80x94CO2H, xe2x80x94COR, xe2x80x94OH, xe2x80x94Nxe2x95x90Cxe2x95x90O, xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94NH2, xe2x80x94N+R3, such as, xe2x80x94N+Bu3, xe2x80x94+xe2x95x90C(NH2)2; benzenesulphonate; 
in which the various radicals R, which may be identical or different, are chosen from hydrogen and linear, branched and cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, C1-30 hydrocarbon-based radicals, such as C2-20 hydrocarbon-based radicals.
For example, Rxe2x80x3 may be chosen from xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94NHxe2x80x94 and linear and branched, saturated C1-30 divalent hydrocarbon-based radicals, such as C2-20 divalent hydrocarbon-based radicals, optionally interrupted with at least one hetero atom chosen from O, N, P and S.
For example, X may be chosen from carboxylic acids, sulphonic acids, phosphonic acids, phosphoric acids, sulphuric acids, ketones, xcex2-diketones, esters, xcex2-keto esters, amines, xcex2-keto amines, amino acids, such as xcex1- and xcex2-hydroxylated amino acids and derivatives thereof, xcex1- and xcex2-hydroxylated acids, ethers and polyethers, imines, amides, said amides being optionally hydroxylated, azo compounds, thiols, ureidos, thioether sulphoxides, thioether sulphones, optionally cyclic thioethers, di (thioethers), monoalcohols and polyols, dextrin and its derivatives, thiazolidines; hydrocarbon-based polymers optionally comprising hetero atoms chosen from N, O, S and P, said polymers, being obtained, for example, by free-radical polymerization, by condensation or by controlled xe2x80x9clivingxe2x80x9d polymerization, and said polymers having a (weight-average) molecular weight ranging from 90 to 10 000, such as, for example, from 100 to 1 000, and as a further example from 150 to 500; and derivatives thereof.
Mention may be made, for example, of:
salicylic acid and its derivatives such as 4-(meth)-acrylaminosalicylic acid and 5-(meth) acrylamido-salicylic acid;
lactic acid; succinic acid; acetic acid; citric acid;
acrylic acid esters or methacrylic acid esters, such as acetoxyethyl (meth) acrylate; methyl xcex1-hydroxy (meth) acrylate;
ethyl acetoacetate of formula CH3xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94COOCH2CH3, methyl acetoacetate of formula CH3xe2x80x94C0xe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94COOCH3 and acetylacetone of formula CH3xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94CH3;
EDTA;
low molecular weight polyethers (n ranging from 1 to 12) such as poly (ethylene glycols) and poly (propylene glycols);
lysine and its derivatives, such as xcex5xe2x80x94N-(meth) acryloyl-L-lysine;
cysteine and its derivatives, such as N-acetylcysteine, N-acetylcysteine disulphides and carboxymethylcysteine;
cystine; methionine;
lactic acid esters or acetic acid esters
triethanolamine;
cysteine and its derivatives;
lipoic acids;
dextrin and cyclodextrin;
polymers of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol or polyethyleneimine type; and
diketones such as 2,4-pentanedione, 2,4-hexafluoropentanedione or 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedione.
For example, the at least one metallic precursor, according to the invention, is chosen from:
tetramethoxysilane, silicon, titanium or tin tetraethoxide; titanium, silicon or tin tetraisopropoxide; tin, titanium or silicon tetrabutoxide;
methyltriethoxysilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane; allyltriethoxysilane;
N-triethoxysilylpropyl-N,N,N-tri-n-butylammonium chloride of formula (C4H9)3N+CH2CH2CH2Si (OC2H5)3, Clxe2x88x92
N-triethoxysilylpropyl-N,N,N-tri-n-butylammonium bromide of formula (C4H9)3N+CH2CH2CH2Si(OC2H5)3, Brxe2x88x92
N-(trimethoxysilylpropyl) isothiouronium chloride of formula (NH2)2Cxe2x95x90S+CH2CH2CH2Si (OCH3)3, Clxe2x88x92
(3-glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane;
(3-(2-aminoethylamino) propyl) trimethoxysilane;
(3-(2-(2-aminoethylamino) ethylamino) propyl) trimethoxysilane;
(4-aminobutyl) triethoxysilane;
(N-(6-aminohexyl) aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane;
(N-methylaminopropyl) trimethoxysilane;
acetoxymethyltriethoxysilane;
3-triethoxysilylpropylurea;
triethoxysilane
(3-aminopropyl) methyldiethoxysilane;
(mercaptomethyl) methyldiethoxysilane;
(3-mercaptopropyl) methyldimethoxysilane;
titanium diisopropoxide bis (triethanolamine) of formula [(HOCH2CH2)2NCH2CH2O]2Ti (OC3H7)2 
methyldiethoxysilane, methyldimethoxysilane, allyldimethoxysilane;
titanium diisopropoxide bis (2,4-pentanedionate) of formula: 
zirconium diisopropoxide bis (2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate); and
bis (2,4-pentanedionato) titanium-O, Oxe2x80x2-bis(oxyethyl) aminopropyltriethoxysilane.
The at least one organometallic compound used in the context of the present invention may be obtained, for example, by partial or total hydrolysis, and partial or total condensation, of at least one metallic precursor as defined above, according to a well-known sol-gel process.
In general, but in a non-limiting manner, the at least one metallic precursor may initially be dissolved or dispersed in a co-solvent such as an oil of plant, mineral, organic or synthetic origin, such as those described below, and/or an alcohol, monoalcohol or polyol, for example, ethanol, such as those described below.
A hydrolysis reaction can then be carried out either by adding water or by means of the residual water, or by adding water xe2x80x9cgeneratorsxe2x80x9d (in which case the water will be generated in situ). A chelating compound may also optionally be introduced.
A sol of the desired at least one organometallic compound can thus be obtained, which may be in the form of colloidal particles suspended in the co-solvent, or in the form of a compound dissolved in the co-solvent. The colloidal particles are generally nanometer-sized, such as from about 0.2 to 100 nanometers, for example, from 0.5-50 nm and from 1-10 nm.
In the rest of the present description, the expression xe2x80x9corganometallic compound solxe2x80x9d will mean the mixture of the organometallic compound and of its co-solvent.
For example, the organometallic compound sol has a solids content of 1-95% by weight, for example, 3-90% by weight and 4-60% by weight. The solids content is measured after heating the sol at 100xc2x0 C. for 1 hour at ambient pressure (1 atm).
The co-solvent which may be used may be chosen from alcoholic solvents, such as C1-10 alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, t-butanol, n-pentanol and hexanol; polyols such as propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, pentylene glycol, glycerol and sorbitol; and Miglyol(copyright).
It is also possible to add 0-99.9% by weight water to the alcoholic solvent in order to obtain an aqueous-alcoholic mixture.
Co-solvents which may also be used include, for example:
ketones such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, diisobutyl ketone, isophorone and cyclohexanone;
glycol ethers, such as propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate and dipropylene glycol aminobutyl ether;
aldehydes;
esters, such as acetates, for example butyl, propyl, ethyl, isopropyl, isopentyl and 2methoxyethyl acetates, purcellin oil, and isopropyl myristate;
esters of mineral acid and of alcohol;
linear and branched, optionally aromatic, hydrocarbons, such as hexane, octane, hexadecane, heptanes, dedicate, cyclohexanone, liquid paraffin, xylene and toluene, polydecenes, and hydrogenerated polyisobutene such as parleam; and
ethers and polyethers.
It is also possible to use polar or apolar, volatile and/or non-volatile cosmetically acceptable oils, for example of plant, mineral, animal and/or synthetic origin, among which mention may be made, alone or as a mixture, of:
hydrocarbon-based oils of animal origin, such as perhydrosqualene;
hydrocarbon-based plant oils, such as liquid fatty acid triglycerides, for example sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, marrow oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil sesame oil, hazelnut oil, apricot oil, macadamia oil, castor oil, avocado oil, olive oil, wheat germ oil, sweet almond oil, beauty-leaf oil or palm oil, caprylic/capric acid triglycerides such as those sold by the company Stearineries Dubois or those sold under the names Miglyol 810, 812 and 818 by the company Dynamit Nobel;
fatty alcohols containing from 10 to 32 carbon atoms, for example octyldodecanol, 2-butyloctanol, 2-hexyldecanol, 2-undecylpentadecanol or oleyl alcohol;
partially hydrocarbon-based and/or silicone-based fluoro oils;
silicone-based oils, for example poly(C1-C20) alkylsiloxanes, such as polyalkylmethylsiloxanes and further such as volatile and non-volatile, linear and cyclic polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMSs), such as cyclotetradimethylsiloxane, cyclopentadimethylsiloxane and cyclohexadimethylsiloxane; silicones modified with aliphatic and/or aromatic groups, which may be fluorinated, or with functional groups such as hydroxyl, thiol and/or amine groups; phenylsilicone oils such as polyphenylmethylsiloxanes or phenyltrimethicones; and
volatile hydrocarbon-based oils, such as isoparaffins, for example, isododecane and isohexadecane.
The organometallic compound sol may be used without further modification as a cosmetic composition.
It is also possible to add to a composition of the present invention comprising the organometallic compound sol the constituents usually used in the intended field of application.
For example, a composition of the present invention may comprise at least one film-forming material which may be chosen, for example, from alkyd, acrylic and/or vinyl resins, polyurethanes, polyester-polyurethanes, polyether-polyurethanes, free-radical polymers such as acrylic, styrene-acrylic and/or vinyl polymers, polyesters, celluloses and cellulose derivatives such as nitrocellulose, and resins resulting from the condensation of formaldehyde with an arylsulphonamide.
The at least one said film-forming material may be in solution or in a dispersion in water and/or in an organic solvent such as toluene, xylene, ethyl acetate and/or butyl acetate, ketones, glycol ethers, esters and alcohols such as ethanol, isopropanol or butanol, and mixtures thereof.
A composition of the present invention may also comprise at least one plasticizer and optionally at least one rheological agent. Among the plasticizers which may be mentioned are citrates, phthalates, esters and/or camphor. Among the rheological agents which may be mentioned are organophilic bentonites, cellulose derivatives, crosslinked polyacrylic acid derivatives, guar gums, carob gums and xanthan gums.
When a composition of the present invention is in the form of an emulsion, it may comprise at least one conventional emulsifier chosen from amphoteric, anionic, cationic and nonionic emulsifiers.
A composition of the present invention may also comprise a particulate phase, which may comprise organic or mineral pigments, and/or nacres and/or fillers usually used in cosmetic compositions. Mention may be made, for example, of titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, cerium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxide, chromium oxide and ferric blue; carbon black and barium, strontium, calcium or aluminium lacks; mica coated with titanium oxide, with iron oxide, with natural pigment or with bismth oxychloride; colored titanium mica and natural mother-of-pearl, talc, mica, silica, kaolin, Nylon powder, polyethylene powder, Teflon, starch, boron nitride, microspheres such as Expancel (Nobel Industrie), Polytrap (Dow Corning) and silicone resin microbeads (for example Tospearls from Toshiba).
A composition according to the invention may also comprise any additive known to those skilled in the art as being able to be incorporated in such a composition, such as spreading agents, thickeners, wetting agents, dispersants, antifoams, preserving agents, surfactants, UV screening agents, colorants, cosmetic active agents, vitamins and derivatives thereof, ceramides, trace elements, moisturizers such as glycerol, waxes, gums, essential oils, DNA and fragrances. Needless to say, a person skilled in the art will take care to select this or these optional additional compound(s), and/or the amount thereof, such that at least one of the advantageous properties provided by the invention are not, or are not substantially, adversely affected by the addition envisaged.
For example, a composition which may be used in the context of the present invention comprises 1% to 100% by weight of organometallic compound sol, such as 1.5% to 95% by weight. In embodiments of the present invention, a composition comprises 10-90% by weight of organometallic compound sol and may comprise 12-50% by weight of organometallic compound sol.
A composition according to the invention may be prepared by a person skilled in the art on the basis of his general knowledge and according to applicable techniques from the prior art.
A composition of the invention may be, for example, in the form of an aqueous, organic or aqueous-alcoholic solution or suspension; an oil-in-water, water-in-oil or multiple emulsion, such as a cream or a milk, an aqueous or oily gel; a dispersion, a composition to be sprayed; a patch.
The keratin material which may be treated according to the invention may be chosen, for example, from the toenails, the fingernails, the eyelashes, the eyebrows, body hairs and head hair.
A composition according to the invention may thus be in the form of a make-up composition, such as a mascara or a treating mascara; a nail varnish, a varnish base or a nailcare product; a haircare composition, such as a styling lacquer, lotion or mousse, a styling spray or a styling stick.